Third Lake Water Temperature
Third Lake in Carlton County, Minnesota averages about 65°F at the surface in summer — warmest in Jul (~73°F) and coldest in May (~50°F). These are typical values by month, not a live reading.
Typical water temperature by month
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 253 field readings (2010–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. Months with too few readings are left blank.
Is Third Lake warm enough to swim?
Brisk but swimmable for short dips — most people acclimate after the first few minutes.
Want more than temperature? Third Lake scored B on water quality — clarity, algae, phosphorus, depth, fish species, and swimming safety, all on one report card.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the water temperature of Third Lake?
Third Lake has a typical summer surface temperature of about 65°F. It is usually warmest in July (around 73°F) and coldest in May (around 50°F). These are typical values by month from 253 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2021), not a live reading.
When is Third Lake warmest?
Surface water at Third Lake is typically warmest in July, reaching about 73°F. Lake surface temperature lags air temperature by several weeks, so the warmest water usually arrives in mid-to-late summer even though the hottest air can come earlier.
Is Third Lake warm enough to swim?
At its typical summer peak of about 65°F, Third Lake rates as "cool" for swimming. Brisk but swimmable for short dips — most people acclimate after the first few minutes.
Where does this Third Lake water temperature data come from?
Every temperature on this page is a typical (climatological) value computed from real surface-water field readings collected by state and federal agencies and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal — 253 readings from 1 monitoring station between 2010 and 2021. They describe what is typical for each month, not the temperature right now.
About this data
Water temperatures are a climatology — the typical value for each month, averaged from real surface-water field readings collected by state and federal agencies and published through the EPA Water Quality Portal. They tell you what to expect, not the temperature at this moment. Actual conditions vary with recent weather, depth, and time of day.